China's Vice Premier He Lifeng and German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said the two countries should strengthen their commercial ties and bring an end to months of trade tensions between the world's second- and third-largest economies, APA reports, citing Reuters.
Klingbeil is making the first visit by a minister from Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government, more than six months after the conservative-led coalition took office, and following a cancelled trip by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul last month after China rejected all but one of his requested meetings.
Ties between the two industrial powerhouses have been strained over Chinese export curbs on chips and rare earths, causing major disruptions for German firms.
"We should exploit untapped potential and expand China-German cooperation, and hope that both sides will strengthen the alignment of their respective development strategies," He said, while calling on the world's second-largest economy to ensure fair conditions with Berlin.
Klingbeil arrived in Beijing less than a week after Germany's parliament appointed an expert commission to rethink trade policy toward China.
"We are committed to working with Germany to foster a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory business environment," He said after their meeting.
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